The field of the invention is that of roof-racks for automobile vehicles. More precisely, the invention concerns roof-rack bars intended to be mounted on side rails or tracks provided for this purpose on the vehicle.
These types of system are generally intended to equip the roof of vehicles, for example estate or mini-van type vehicle They can also be mounted on another part of the body, for example the rear trunk or tailgate.
The roofs of vehicles are often provided with one or more predefined locations equipped with means for receiving and fastening the feet of the roof-rack bar.
An improvement to is technique has been proposed that consists in equipping tile roof with two parallel side rails that are perpendicular to the roof-rack bars to enable the latter (or at least one of them) to slide longitudinally on the roof. In particular, this enables at least two positions to be defined:
a working position in which two bars, a front and a rear bar, are on either side of the roof.
a stowed position in which the two bars are brought close to each other, for example such that they define an aerofoil at the roar of the roof.
In the latter configuration the rear bar may be immobile with only the front bar sliding along the side rails.
In this type of situation it is possible to define roof-rack bars suited to vehicles, both in terms of their appearance and their air resistance. The feet of the roof-rack bar can be formed directly in the axis of the transverse bar, streamlined and in the game material and/or same color as the body.
It is not however, always possible to provide longitudinal side rails that are parallel on the roof. In this event bars of different lengths are generally used that are each installed in a predefined, single, fixed position.
Older-style structures of roof-rack bars also be resorted to in which at least one of the feet slides along the transverse bar to enable the distance between the two feet to be modified.
This technique presents a number of drawbacks. Firstly, the ends of the transverse bar of the roof-rack bar can no longer be positioned in the actual axis of the feet because the position of said feet must be capable of varying along the transverse bar. The ends therefore extend above the feet, which is unacceptable by today""s standards of appearance,
Furthermore, this type of roof-rack bar is very impractical in term of handling, particularly by a single person. In order X modify the position of the roof-rack bar the person must:
unlock both feet on either side of the vehicle;
displace the roof-rack bar, generally in several movements, moving around to the opposite side of the vehicle each time:
adjust the position of at least one of the feet to the new distance between the side rails;
lock both feet onto the side rails.
The production of roof-rack bar mechanisms, the length of which can vary, has also been envisaged that implements articulations on each foot associated with sliding means. This approach is, for example, described in European patent EP-0 664 241.
This technique is attractive in theory but presents several drawbacks in practice. The presence of sliding means and articulations requires a minimum of play which can lead to:
play even when the bar is in the locked position on the roof, particularly when the bar is loaded, therefore making the assembly unsafe;
vertical compression and/or traction play when the roof-rack is loaded and therefore a reduced maximum load;
rapid deterioration of the assembly and particularly the sliding means and articulations becoming jammed or broken;
difficulty in positioning the bar correctly once it has been displaced.
Moreover, and in addition to the weaknesses listed above, the large number of mobile components, and therefore the degrees of freedom, result in the roof-rack being complicated to produce (number of parts, assembly, maintenance, etc.) and consequently a high production cost.
Finally, this technique needs successive handling of each foot requiring the user to move back and forth between the opposite sides of the vehicle to unlock, displace and lock each foot.
The aim of the invention is to overcome these various drawbacks of the background art.
More precisely, one aim of the invention is to provide a roof-rack bar that can be easily displaced along two, non-parallel side rails by a single person who remains on one side of the vehicle.
In other words, one aim of the invention is to provide a roof-Tack bar that does not require complex and/or many handling operations to displace it along the side rails.
A further aim of the invention is to provide such a roof-rack bar that is effective, safe and capable of bearing a considerable load and that remains reliable over time.
In particular, one aim of the invention is to provide such a roof-rack bar that remains both easy to displace and reliable when a load is installed.
Another aim of the invention is to provide such a roof-rack bar that is suited to today""s requirements in terms of appearance, body work and air resistance. For example, one aim of the invention is to enable the roof-rack obtained to be transformed into an aerofoil when it is not in use.
A further aim of the invention is to provide such a roof-rack bar that is relatively simple and inexpensive to produce and assemble arm that complies with tho stresses of loads the roof-rack bar must he capable of bearing.
These aims and others which will become apparent below are achieved using a roof-rack bar for automobile vehicles of the type comprising a transverse bar and two fastening feet mounted at the ends of said transverse bar and lying in the axis of the latter, said feet being provided to operate in conjunction with tho guidance and maintenance side rails mounted on said automobile vehicle and being capable of sliding along said side rails in an adjustment position, the angle between said transverse bar and each of said side rails remaining more or loss constant when the bar is displaced along side rails.
According to the invention at least one of said feet comprises a housing in which one end of said transverse bar can slide between two extreme positions in order to adapt to a variable distance between said side rails, said housing comprising first locking and/or reinforcement means capable of operating in conjunction with second additional locking and/or reinforcement means fitted on said transverse bar to immobilize or authorize the displacement of and end of the transverse bar in said housing.
Contrary to what those skilled in the art might expect, the inventors have verified that it is unnecessary to provide articulations in cash foot to enable a bar to be displaced along non-parallel side rails. This surprising result provides an effective, simple solution to the problem posed by non-parallel side rails or tracks.
A transverse bar of variable length is therefore obtained (xe2x80x9ctransverse barxe2x80x9d referring to all the parts connecting the two feet), the feet remaining positioned in the axis of the ends of the transverse bar. It is therefore ail advantageous solution both in functional terms and as far as appearance is concerned.
The presence of mobile components that enable parts to slide requires play which weakens the bar. Said bar risks being subjected to traction or compression stresses and of becoming damaged or jamming, for example when under considerable loads.
Means are therefore required to immobilize and reinforce the bar when it is in the working position. The transverse bar is therefore maintained in a given configuration and is held in a fixed, safe position irrespective of the loads it bears or the impact and knocks caused when the vehicle moves.
Advantageously, said second locking and/or reinforcement means fitted on said transverse bar operate when in the locked position in conjunction with said first looking and/or reinforcement means such as to eliminate or reduce the transversal play between said transverse bar and the surfaces of said housing.
Certain possible distortions, and particularly traction or compression, are therefore eliminated from the transverse bar relative to the feet under the effect of a load or its fastening The bar is held firmly and reinforced in the housings.
Furthermore, any possible vibrations, particularly when the bar is not loaded, are considerably reduced.
Advantageously, said first locking and/or reinforcement means comprise at least one male (respectively female) component capable of operating in conjunction with, and of complementing, at least one female (respectively male) component fitted on the transverse bar.
In other words, coupling is implemented between the two components. Many, other techniques can clearly be used to ensure self-immobilization between at least two parts, for example implementing wedges, cams, high pressure, etc. in one particular embodiment, in the locked position said first and second locking and/or reinforcement means therefore constitute a gear system comprising at least one tooth.
In particular, said first and second locking and/or reinforcement means can advantageously comprise at least one rack.
The entire length, and therefore different positions, of the rack offers means capable of operating in conjunction with those provided by the housing to lock and/or reinforce the transverse bar.
In this configuration said rack is transversally mobile (from bottom to top when the bar is on a vehicle roof) relative to the longitudinal axis of the transverse bar.
The rack can therefore be displaced between two positions constituting the locked and unlocked modes in different positions according to variations of the position, i.e. of the length of the transverse bar.
In this embodiment said rack is preferably transversally mobile relative to the longitudinal axis or the transverse bar.
Advantageously, said transverse bar comprises a mobile component capable of sliding along said transverse bar and of operating in conjunction with said rack such that it draws if between the locked and unlocked position, and vice versa.
Said mobile component may advantageously have at least one slope against which one or more support components of said rack are capable of coming to bear.
According to another preferred characteristic of the invention the roof-rack bar comprises at least one means for actuating the locking/unlocking of said transverse bar that projects in a recess of said transverse bar or one of said feet.
This control device is advantageously mounted on one of the feet to facilitate use. It can also be provided in the middle of the transverse bar in order for it to be accessed from either side of the vehicle. Another approach is provide a control device on each of said foot either of which may be used. A control device can clearly also be provided on each foot.
Preferably, said actuating moans are coupled to said mobile component via at least one cable running inside said transverse bar, The cable can clearly be replaced with one or more rods or similar components.
Advantageously, the roof-rack bar of the invention comprises et least one actuating means that act simultaneously
locking/unlocking said transverse bar in said housing;
immobilization means fitted on at least one of said fastening feet such that they authorize or prevent said feet from being displaced along said guidance side rails.
Advantageously, said, actuating means check the immobilization of the two fastening feet.
This technique is used to change from the xe2x80x9cimmobilize barxe2x80x9d to the xe2x80x9cmobile barxe2x80x9d mode and vice versa in a single operation For safety reasons a double control device and/or a lock can also be provided.
In this event said actuating means are preferably fitted onto said feet and said means for immobilizing the opposite foot are connected to said second locking and/or reinforcement means.
According to one particular embodiment said actuating means are connected to said via a first cable to said first or second locking and/or reinforcement means, a second cable connecting said first or second locking and/or reinforcement means to the means for immobilizing said opposite foot.
This solution proves effective and is easily implemented.
A compensating part can be mounted in the axis of said second cable if the travel of the second cable is shorter than that of the first.
In particular, the compensating part can be a spring or any suitable elastic part. It can be mounted near the locking or immobilization means.
The invention also relates to a roof-rack fur automobile vehicles consisting of at least two roof-rack bars at lest one of which is a roof-rack bar of the invention.
According to one particular embodiment one of said roof-rack bars of the invention can be fixed. In this configuration if two bars are sufficient only one is such as that described above.
Advantageously, said roof-rack bars can be grouped together, for example at the rear of the vehicle, to constitute an aerofoil. Means can also be provided to connect them together, particularly when they constitute an aerofoil.